Purebred Connections: An SPCR Newsletter (December 2016)

News from around the rescue

In this issue:

SPCR: How it all started…

For SPCR Director and Founder, Kirsten Kranz, it started with a broken little cat named Simon. Simon was a red Somali, a rare breed that is seldom seen outside the halls of any given cat show. He was dealt a bad hand and ended up in an overwhelmed humane society that didn’t recognize his breed, only that he was sick, thin and crawling with fleas. And his head was seemingly crooked. As it turned out, Simon’s head was permanently tilted from an unresolved ear infection, and he limped from a bad declaw.

Upon meeting Simon, Kirsten was heartbroken that such a delicate creature, bred specifically for the traits to be a companion animal, had been neglected almost to death. Immediately, Kirsten and her husband, Jim, adopted Simon and adored him. Simon and Kirsten healed each other’s broken hearts.

As a long-time volunteer with several local humane societies, Kirsten was well versed with the limitations that plague every shelter. There is never enough time, resources or money to go around. At the same time, the early nineties saw the start of the rescue movement as we know it today. Rescue groups were forming for every breed of dog, but nothing for cats. After rescuing Simon, a purebred Somali that nobody wanted, Kirsten was inspired to create a purebred rescue group, and SPCR was born.

“In my work in local shelters, I had seen Persians come in sick with matted hair and wind up euthanized because there was no money or knowledge to care for them. High-strung Siamese went crazy in cages and were often put down due to personality issues. Something had to be done.” – Kirsten Kranz, Founder, SPCR

Very quickly, news of neglected Persians, Himalayans, Ragdolls, Siamese and more came from shelters and owners throughout the Midwest. And SPCR was open to taking them all in and placing them in loving foster homes, while working to adopt the cats out to loving forever homes. Over the years, volunteers and foster homes opened their doors and hearts, offering transports, homes, donations and tremendous support for the rescue. Today, SPCR has expanded to help non-purebred shelter cats as well, including those with special needs such as blindness, amputated limbs and burn victims. The rescue also accommodates Persians and other purebreds from partnering animal welfare organizations in Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait.

Simon only lived five short years with Kirsten, but his loving, forgiving personality indirectly enabled thousands of otherwise un-adoptable cats to find their perfect families. On average, SPCR processes more than 600 adoptions each year. And it all started with a little Somali cat named Simon.

Pictured on the right – Kirsten and Jim Kranz with one of their current fur babies, Poppy.

Dolce & Gigi: Exotics surrendered to a happy home

It’s a tragic story when someone does not have the capacity or resources to care for their animals anymore. Many times this leads to owner surrender, with the human trying to do right by the animals and find the best home possible. SPCR deals with many owner surrenders, and it’s an important service to ensure the cats are not abandoned. Exotics Dolce and Gigi are two such cats. Jackie Campagnola, a very active member of the SPCR community, had a fortuitous meeting with a groomer who had a customer that owned Dolce and Gigi. The customer had come into a situation where she could not care for them anymore. Jackie connected the groomer and her customer to SPCR, and the cats were seamlessly moved to SPCR to await their new home.

It’s a small cat world

Jackie is also a SPCR Angel for John and Carolyn Tobin. Carolyn mentioned that she was working with someone who was thinking about surrendering her cats to SPCR. After hearing the details, Jackie realized that those cats were the same two exotics that she heard about from her groomer. The cats were officially surrendered, and within days, John and Carolyn welcomed the Dolce and Gigi into their home, providing the cats with a loving new family. It’s a small world in the purebred cat community. Former owner, groomer and the new parents of Dolce and Gigi couldn’t be happier with the way everything worked out.

SPCR Angel Program

If you do not have the time or resources to be a foster, the SPCR Angel program might be perfect for you. The SPCR Angel program serves to develop relationships between the rescue and people who cannot foster. Angels can help foster families with cat food and other supplies, while staying up to date on the cats they are supporting.

The Campagnolo family are Angels to John and Carolyn Tobin. The Campagnolo’s have six cats through SPCR but cannot foster. During the time that they have been SPCR Angels for John and Carolyn, a fruitful friendship has blossomed. In addition to providing cat toys, beds and food, the Campagnolo’s have cheered their victories and adoption stories and mourned their losses and hardships. The Campagnolo’s provide a support system to the Tobin’s and the Tobin’s reciprocate with friendship and encouragement for the Campagnolo’s.

Fostering is not for the faint of heart and both John and Carolyn have had many successes, along with sadness and loss. The Angel program allows the Campagnolo’s to live vicariously through John and Carolyn’s work and to feel like they are part of the SPCR foster family. Participating in the SPCR Angel program has been extremely fulfilling for the Campagnolo’s, enabling them to support the rescue in different ways and rewarding ways. If you would like more information on becoming an SPCR ANGEL, contact kjmangan@charter.net.

End of the Year Giving

During this holiday season, we ask that you consider supporting SPCR. Every dollar goes towards the cats of SPCR. Donations are tax deductible. Everyday we have new challenges to rescue these beautiful creatures. Thank you for thinking of us this Christmas!

Thank You!!!

People ask, “How can you do this?” And we say, “This is what we do.” We find joy in seeing a sick little kitten take its first steps back to health from chronic illness. We delight in seeing new kitty moms and dads when they see their new fur babies for the first time. We find comfort when a foster cat first pushes its head into our hands for affection.

We thank you for all the support you have given us for what we do through the years.

May you find peace and joy in your little part of the world this Holiday Season.